Bridesmaid
by FanFicNinja
Summary: The bride is found dead on her wedding day, one of her bridesmaids instantly becomes the suspect.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own NCIS.**

"**BRIDESMAID"**

There was something about weddings Gibbs didn't like. Was it the fact that you had to pledge yourself and your heart to the person? No, it was the simple fact that it cost a shit load of money, and in his case, didn't last. Divorce lawyers, more money down the drain. He should know, he's been married as many times as he could count on his wedding hand. He regretted all but his first. The marriage ended when both his wife and their daughter died in a car crash. Since then he has swung from marriage to marriage, all ending in the all too familiar way. In the court. Lawyers arguing over crap he didn't care about. He didn't care about much really; he had his job and his boats. And they meant the world to him.

DiNozzo "Gibbs slapped" McGee as he leant over the computer keyboard. "What was that for?" McGee asked, rubbing his head where DiNozzo's hand had impacted.

"'cause I felt like it" DiNozzo said with an air of importance. "And boss isn't here".

"You felt you should….." Ziva David, considering what to say. "Should replace Gibbs, yes?"

"Yes…?" DiNozzo said slowly.

The desk phone on Gibbs' desk came to like, ringing. Nobody moved. "I'll get it" DiNozzo said stepping over. McGee and Ziva pushed and shoved each other and DiNozzo as the crossed to Gibbs' desk. Just as McGee reached to pick up the phone, another hand reached it and picked it up.

"Yeah?" a familiar voice asked into the phone.

All three looked up and saw Gibbs' with the phone to his ear, holding his coffee and looking at them amused.


	2. Chapter 2

DiNozzo puked into a paper bag, McGee looked pale, and Ziva calmly turned with the car, meaning only one thing.

She was driving.

"Oh shit!" DiNozzo moaned, as they turned another corner.

"Ziva, please slow down!" McGee cried desperately.

She simply kept on driving.

McGee disappeared from view, and thumping sounds could be heard from the back. Gibbs looked at them from the middle, his face saying "_well?"_

"You right there McGee?" DiNozzo called to McGee in the back of the van.

There was no answer.

"McGee?" he called again. "Pull over Ziva!"

Ziva swerved suddenly and pulled the car to a stop.

The jumped out the door and ran to the back.

Quickly bursting the swinging doors open they found the van a mess.

"McGee?" Ziva called. Gibbs came up behind them.

"What's happening DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"We can't find McGee, boss". Gibbs slapped the back of his head.

"And we'll find him".

Emerging from the mess, McGee sat up slightly unbalanced and holding his head.

"McGee!" Ziva cried, running over to him. Holding his head steady, she checked for concussion.

"I'm fine Ziva" McGee said, absentmindedly swiping at her. Using the sides of the van, he stood up. Letting go, he flopped over to lean on Gibbs.

"You all right McGee?" Gibbs asked steadying him.

"Someone… someone didn't secure the stuff properly" McGee said dazedly.

"_Stuff, _McGee?" Gibbs asked, slightly annoyed.

"Sorry boss" McGee said. With that he collapsed out of the van and onto the dirt.

"McGee!" Ziva cried.

"Oh damn!" Gibbs muttered, jumping down to McGee. Checking a pulse, then calling to DiNozzo, "Call the paramedics!"

"Come on McGee!" all three muttered under their breath.


	3. Chapter 3

McGee woke, his head pounding, in the hospital. Checking his watch on the bedside table, he sat up. Why was he here? What happened? The more he tried to remember, the more stressed he became. Jumping out of bed, he ran to the door.

"Nurse!" he yelled. A kindly nurse appeared, smiling.

"You're up" she said gently. "But I think it might be better if you lay down". Putting her arm through the crook of his, she led him to his bed.

"No! No, you don't understand. I'm an agent, NCIS. I have to get to work!" he cried. "I've got to help!"

"Later, now you must rest," she said, pushing him. He resisted. Grabbing his clothes he ran out of the room.

"Security, we have a runaway patient," she muttered into the phone in the nurse's quarters.

Quickly ducking into the men's room, he locked himself in one of the toilets, and then he changed into his work clothes. Pulling the robe off, he dropped it on the floor. Putting his trousers and straightening his tie he ran out the front door. From the left a large bus approached, heading in the direction of NCIS. Getting change out of his pocket, he counted the correct amount then put the rest back. The bus came to a halt, just in front of him. Stepping up, he handed the change over to the driver, who promptly gave him a ticket. Taking a seat near the front, he watched as the hospital disappeared behind him.

If he had looked back, he would have seen the security guards standing out the front looking around confused.

As the bus pulled up near NCIS, McGee stood up, taking care not to irritate any6 other patrons. "Excuse me," he said to a young woman who was rushing to take her seat. She moved slightly and let him through. "Thanks," he said, before exiting the bus.

Walking up to the familiar building, he saw the silhouette of Gibbs through the window. The figure turned away, not returning. He opened the door, and stepped through the metal detector. Entering the elevator, he wondered what everyone was thought, and knew.

The doors open and he emerged. Figures came into view, and he waited.

"McGee!" Abby cried in delight as she hugged him around the neck. Releasing him, she led McGee across to his desk.

Then _it _happened, a slap to the back of the head. As a reaction, he put his hands to the back of his head.

"Oww, what was that for?" he asked. "I haven't even started working and stuffed up yet!"

"It's for scaring the crap out of m…. I mean Abby and Ziva" DiNozzo said as he walked back to his desk.

"Excuse me Tony" Ziva's cool voice said. "You were the one going paranoid because you had no one to Gibbs slap".

"And what about you Zi-va?" DiNozzo said with a smirk.

She glared. DiNozzo pretended to shiver.

"Did the room just drop a hundred degrees?" he said. Ziva leant down on his desk and glared at him.

"No that's just you" she said sharply. Reaching around, she Gibbs slapped him. His face became shocked, then annoyed. He stood, raising an eyebrow.

"What was that again?" he asked, bitterly.

And again she slapped him.

"That's it!" he said, jumping quickly around his desk. Reaching, he grabbed her around the waist.

"TONY!" she yelled in his ear. He quickly dropped her clutching his ear.

"Umm guys" McGee said, desperation in his voice.

"What McGee?" they both asked.

Looking, they saw him pointing to something. Following his finger, they looked up to the top of the stairs.

And saw the Director and Gibbs had witnessed the whole thing.


	4. Chapter 4

"DiNozzo" Gibbs called. "What was that?"

A reddish blush covered both DiNozzo and Ziva's faces.

"Nothing boss," DiNozzo muttered, returning to his desk. He hid his face behind the screen. "Shit! Shit! Shit, shit, shit!" he muttered under his breath.

"And you Officer David?" Gibbs asked, turning to Ziva.

"Nothing Gibbs," she said, avoiding his eyes.

"Now why don't I believe that?" he said. She quickly left to her desk.

"McGee?" Gibbs said.

"Y..y…ess Boss?" McGee stammered.

"Welcome back", Gibbs said, smiling and patting him on the back.

"Thank you boss" he called as Gibbs went to his desk to pick up his phone.

"Gibbs" he said into the phone. All three listened to the conversation.

The person on the other end said something.

"Okay"

"Yes"

"We'll be right there".

Turning away, everyone pretended not to have heard anything.

"What was that boss?" McGee asked.

"A Naval CPO found dead in her home in Norfolk" Gibbs said.

All three looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"On her wedding day".


End file.
